Former Toyota team principal Tadashi Yamashina has slammed modern Formula One for having become too "elitist".
Yamashina added that F1 no longer offers the manufacturer a significant link to its customers and says it is better served competing in other areas of motorsport.
"There is a big gap between Formula One and Toyota's actual car users," Yamashina told Automotive News. "F1 remains the pinnacle of auto racing, but its image grew too elitist.
"At races such as Nurburgring [24 Hours], fans can get right into [the] pitlane, mingle with the teams and touch the cars. They can soak up the atmosphere and feel part of the event. By contrast, average fans have no hope of strolling the paddock at an F1 race. For the fortunate few who can afford to do that, it's fine.
"I think the best kind of races are those in which people can get in close to the race."
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Re: Toyota: 'F1 is too elitist'
It probably did look elitist from the back end of the grid and paddock...
Nothing to do with Toyota being rubbish, then. Those elitist Brawn and Red Bull teams just didn't resonate with the public, so Toyota pulled the plug as a defiant stand against such rampant elitism. Good for them.
Can't wait them to make a comeback and get thrashed again.
Re: Toyota: 'F1 is too elitist'
Like i said TWO TEAMS!,not always the same two teams, but two teams none the less,you won't see Lotus for instance hitting a rich vein of winning will you?, no like i said a two horse season as usual!
Re: Toyota: 'F1 is too elitist'
Probably a fair helping of sour grapes in there, but at the same time he does have a point. Look at how hard it's been for the new teams coming in this season, and at how difficult life was for both Jordan and Minardi before they were bought out by Force India (via Midland and Spyker) and Red Bull respectively. It wasn't for lack of talent that they struggled - when your rivals are easily capable of pouring $300m and a 1,000-strong workforce into one year's effort, you haven't really got a chance. I do agree that it's a bit rich for Toyota to be saying this considering the billions they put into their team (with limited reward it has to be said), but I think it's still a fair point.